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Daily Archives: September 18, 2011

On a day when the Atlantic Coast Conference officially accepted Pittsburgh and Syracuse as new members, Rutgers athletics director Tim Pernetti expressed confidence that the university will end up in a good place when the dust settles on conference expansion.

“As it relates to Rutgers, this is not the kind of thing that causes us to now get to work,”’ Pernetti said Sunday evening in his first public comments since news broke of the latest shift in college athletics. “We continue to be very active in this space. And I think given our assets and our location, the New York TV market, our strong academic standing, and most of all, running a clean program (with) integrity, we will continue to be a player nationally during this time as the landscape continues to shift.”

While Pernetti dismissed a question of whether Rutgers has applied for membership to the ACC, a source close to the program told New Jersey Press Media newspapers that Rutgers officials spent the weekend evaluating an exit from the Big East Conference.

That exit plan includes accepting membership to the ACC or the Big 10 should either conference extend a formal invitation, the source said.

“I would say either (conference) is a very real possibility,” said the source, who requested anonymity because Pernetti’s preference is to keep discussions quiet for now.

When asked if Rutgers has applied to the ACC for membership, Pernetti said: “As far as what we’re doing, I would just say this: We’re continuing to be engaged in talks with several parties. I think that’s been the case for a long time — more than the last 36 hours — but it’s always been our practice to keep that stuff private in the family, and I think it’s important that we continue to do that.”

Asked whether the best landing spot for Rutgers would be a conference other than the Big East, Pernetti said: “I don’t know if I could say one way or the other. Again, I’m trying to focus on what’s most important right now, which is trying to make sure that we continue to be well-positioned as the landscape continues to shift. Given the landscape and how it’s changing, you have to be protecting the best interests of your institution. And I can assure you that for the last two years, as things have continued to shift, we’ve been spending all our time on that.”

Rutgers athletics director Tim Pernetti just got done addressing the media, and here are a few quick quotes:

On his thoughts on what transpired over the weekend and where Rutgers fits in the conference realignment picture:

“I’m not really surprised at all by the weekend given all the conversations that are taking place behind the scenes in collegiate athletics. Needless to say, while so many of us work together closely and have relationships, the bottom line is as the landscape continues to change TV and revenue are at the core of all this stuff. I was not at all surprised to see what’s occuring and what will continue to occur.

“The bottom line as it relates to Rutgers, this is not the kind of thing that causes us to get to work. We continue to and have since I started on the job been very active in this space. And I think given our assets and our location, the New York TV market, our AAU status and strong academic standing, and most of all — given all the nonsense that’s gone on out there — running a clean program (with) integrity. We have great assets and we will continue to be a player nationally during this time as the landscape continues to shift.”

When asked if Rutgers has applied to the ACC for membership, Pernetti said: “As far as what we’re doing, I would just say this: We’re continuing to be engaged in talks with several parties. I think that’s been the case for a long time, more than the last 36 hours, but it’s always been our practice to keep those types of talks private. I’ve always kept that stuff in the family, and I think it’s important that we continue to do that.”

On whether the best landing spot for Rutgers is outside the Big East: “I don’t know if I could say one way or the other. Again, I’m trying to focus on what’s most important right now, which is trying to make sure that we continue to be well-positioned as the landscape continues to shift. I think you could evaluate from your perspective however you want to evaluate it but the bottom line is as long as you’re in one place you want to try to do what you can do to make it the best you can do. And at the same time, given the landscape and how it’s changing, you have to be protecting the best interests of your institution. And I can assure you that for the last two years, as things have continued to shift, we’ve been spending all our time on that.”

On whether he’s confident Rutgers will be in a better place when all the dust settles: “I feel good about it. I really do. I think given the conversations and the assets we have with a great presence in the New York media market, which continues to be coveted by collegiate athletics and conferences and TV partners, and certainly our academic standing has been setting the bar on certain areas and we’re very proud of that. And you can see that a lot of the conversation about who’s going where has to do with trying to find the best overall fit, not just athletics programs. And I really think a great asset continues to be our program being run on high integrity.

“The bottom line is if you’re asking me if I’m concerned about getting shut out, I’m not. I think we have great assets and will continue to be a player in this thing throughout until it comes to some form of conclusion.”

On whether the Big East can survive this: “Well, I think it can. The thing about conference expansion and the thing about conferences that are well-positioned themselves for the future is it’s all about unanimity. And I think that’s the one thing that my experience in our league is that has not been an asset in our league. In certain conversations about a variety of business of issues in the league, the unanimity is there. But unanimity is the key. What other leagues are doing, whether it’s related to expansion and finding new members or television contracts (and) pooling all their rights, unanimity is the greatest asset any league can have right now. I think that’s the one thing that continues to challenge the league.”

On whether he prefers to stay in a remodeled Big East: “It’s hard for me to say right now. Again, with a lot of the conversations that are taking place I think it’s important that we keep that stuff in the family. But the bottom line is we have been and will continue to engage in conversations with several parties and evaluate, and in the end the answer is going to be whatever is best for us is what we’re going to do.”

On whether his decision revolves around football: “I think (it does). I certainly think when you look at what’s gone on around television and expansion, the focus has been primarily been on football. I think it’s dangerous, too. As an athletics director, obviously you have to look at what’s the best place for your institution. You need to look at revenue in a challenging economy. You need to look at growing it so you can create a good experience. But experiences are something not a lot of people are talking about. So I think student-athlete experience for every sport has to be a good one, and when you start to get into conversations about conferences expanding and geography kind of goes out the window, that doesn’t get considered as much. But, having said all that, I think everybody understands how these things work. Football continues to be the asset that drives these television deals and drives the revenue. That piece of it continues to be critical on that front. And I think it’s important for everybody to make sure they keep their eyes on the experiences for everybody, but unfortunately sometimes with the revenue and TV a lot of people’s eyes get distracted on the bigger picture.”

On whether he expects a quick resolution to Rutgers’ fate: “It’s hard to say. I think this time around things seem to be moving a little bit more quickly than they did a year ago. If that’s a sign of things to come or not, it’s very difficult to say. But I do think that as more pieces continue to be in motion, obviously it starts to trickle its way down and affect more people in the process. I would imagine that the next 30 days are going to be very telling period of time for our entire industry.”

On whether he feels sense of betrayal about what Pittsburgh did: “From my standpoint, again, what I would go back to is I wasn’t really surprised at all given all the conversations that have taken place behind the scenes. Some of us that are closer to it than others certainly had a sense and expectation that things were continuing to change, including in our league. Look, I think the great thing about our business is you form a lot of relationships with a lot of great people. But at the same time I think you have to understand where the line is drawn. At times like this, it’s business, not personal.

“I think that it’s easy to sit here and sting about what somebody might have done to somebody else, but the bottom line is as an administrator or president in these positions your responsibility is to look out for the best interests of your institution. We do that at Rutgers everyday. We’ll continue to do that at Rutgers everyday. And I think it’s no different at any other campus, including the schools that were involved most recently in this latest move.

“Just hypothetically if it would’ve been us (that went to the ACC) over the weekend, you have to handle it on your own campus as you best see fit. I think it’s important no matter what the news or where you may be going, to be direct and straight with people both on and off your campus to make sure the information is out there. Because at the end of the day, whether you keep it under your hat until the last minute, or you put it out there in some circle, everybody is going to have their opinions on it because somebody in the process is going to be impacted by it. On our campus, I know how I would handle it and the way we handle everything is to be transparent in the process.”

On whether this is the end of Big East football here: “I would tell you that it’s a critical time. I mean, I think I’d be understating it even saying that it’s a critical time. I definitely am concerned about that. At the same time I think what we’re all spending our time on right now is trying to figure out what the best possible scenario is. Some of those scenarios are being talked about.

“We continue to be engaged in conversations with a lot of different people. But I think it’s a critical time. There’s definitely concern. I think what it does is it creates a lot of instability and anxiety around the entire place, including within the league. But there are a lot of smart ADs and presidents in this league and I think where the opportunities exist, they’ll be taken advantage of. It’s certainly not that some of these opportunities haven’t been evaluated.”

If the Big 12 falls apart, any feeling that it could be in Big East’s interests to absorb the Big 12 as fast as they could: “My answer to that is I don’t think there’s any conversation, given the climate right now, that should be off the table. Conversations such as that, as the composition within the Big 12 and other leagues have changed, I would hope as an athletics director in this league have been taking place at a higher level already for a longer period of time. There’s no scenario out there that is not worth having a conversation.”

On whether he’s more concerned or more excited right now: “Honestly, excited. I won’t lie to you and tell you there’s not concern. I also wouldn’t tell you that people are freaking out. But I will tell you while you have concern, this is the kind of stuff that as you get into a job like this, you come in with your eyes wide open. Quite frankly this is the kind of stuff you sign up for.

“I think given the relationships that we have and given a lot of the conversations that we continue to have, and certainly all the assets that I continue to talk about, we do feel excited about that if things continue to change that we’re going to end up in a very good position given those assets.”

On Big East scheduling challenges without Syracuse and Pitt: “I think that’s a wait-and-see kind of thing now as it relates to football. With football we always plan for every scenario. I won’t lie to you and say we haven’t considered scenarios in which there would be some transition throughout the league. Certain things still need to be determined on that front. I’m pretty sure we’ll be okay getting through that.”

“The ACC has enjoyed a rich tradition by balancing academics and athletics and the addition of Pitt and Syracuse further strengthens the ACC culture in this regard,” ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement. “Pittsburgh and Syracuse also serve to enhance the ACC’s reach into the states of New York and Pennsylvania and geographically bridges our footprint between Maryland and Massachusetts. With the addition of Pitt and Syracuse, the ACC will cover virtually the entire eastern seaboard of the United States.”

But not New Jersey, and that may change if the USA TODAY’s report late Saturday night comes to fruition. Quoting an anonymous ACC official, the USA TODAY reported the now 14-team ACC has not closed off its options about adding other programs and Rutgers and Connecticut would be candidates if the league opts to expand to 16.

In a statement posted last night via Twitter, Rutgers athletics director Tim Pernetti said the university is “a committed member of the Big East” and Scarlet Knights officials “will continue to explore all of our options and do what’s best for Rutgers.”

That quote is similar to the series of responses after the Big Ten announced plans to expansion last year, with Pernetti repeatedly issuing statements that read: “We are a proud member of the Big East Conference. It is not our place to speculate on the expansion plans of any other conference.”

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